It might not count toward a major or tenure, but various days ofthe week students and professors meet to discuss Feng Shui,Spanish, wine and ballooning, among other topics in ContinuingEducation non-credit courses.
"Most people who teach Continuing Education classes feel theyhave a chance to enhance the community," said Belinda Mendoza, FengShui continuing education instructor, adding that instructors mightget paid less than $100 per class.
Popularity of Continuing Education topics varies throughout theyear, with the exception of test preparation courses, like the LawSchool Admissions Test preparation course, said Barbara LynnBelzer, director of Continuing Education.
Unlike the spring semester "when most people are working ontheir new (year) resolutions to learn something new," Belzer said.In the summer, the most popular classes are for children on summerbreak. Classes like Peek-A-Boo, I Love You! and Zoo Train! have aloyal following.
During the summer, cooking classes are favorites among adults,Belzer said. But the fastest growing Continuing Education section,now comprising about 50 percent of courses, is professionaltraining, which includes computer programming, small businessdevelopment and health.
Continuing Education also offers onsite conferences forcompanies like FedEx, in which contract trainers from TheUniversity of Memphis go to the company and deliver seminars, saidBelzer.
A typical Continuing Education course consists of only a fewclasses, usually two or three days spread out over a month. Groupsizes can vary depending on the popularity of the course.
The largest group Mendoza ever taught was 40; the smallest wassix. "It varies a lot," she said.
Mendoza, who has been teaching Feng Shui for three years, saidmost people who teach classes in the continuing education see it asa networking strategy. She owns her own Feng Shui consultingcompany and has had some customers come out of her classes.
